What’s interesting about this position is how watered down it is. Because so many backfield are utilizing two (even three) players in a rotation, the number of clear studs is low. And while there are more players these days than usual who do have some value now due to a fairly large role, they’re still in situations that prevent major fantasy production. We’ve also seen fewer legitimate developmental prospects at the position and a lot of players who are kind of in limbo, with little long-term potential and even questionable short-term potential.

We’re seeing more trades lately in the NFL, and one trade rumor that has already popped up is Cowboy RB Tashard Choice to the Chargers. Let me say right now, that would be a fantastic move for San Diego. Yes, there will be RBs freely available in the draft, but Choice has proven a lot in his two seasons, despite not always playing a lot, or much at all.

The Chargers have a window available to them now, so it would be a little risky for them to put the hopes of their running game in the hands of a rookie. Choice has been in the league for two years, and he’s proven a lot. He’s a fine blocker, a very solid receiver, and while he’s not a stud, he’s a tough and instinctive runner. He’s just a damn good football player, and I love the fit in San Diego. If they Chargers manage to pull off a trade, they can then also draft a back somewhat early to complement Choice and give the team a viable backup (they may not have LT or Darren Sproles).

It would be tough for the Cowboys to move Choice, but he’s not helping them as [...]

As the draft quickly approaches, we’re trying to bang out as much of the magazine writeups as we possibly can, and I’ve just completed about the top-50 RBs. Of course, the draft will change a lot of things, so it’s hard to rank any player for certain. We have also not yet plugged in projections, which can change things once you see the raw numbers. But I do have some rankings and comments on the top-50 guys now, and I’m pretty comfortable with this list, knowing it’s very early.

So here’s what I got at this early stage.

1. Adrian Peterson, MIN – Has to be top dog this year given youth and talent but more action in the passing game would be nice.

2. Michael Turner, ATL – Carried the load all season with great effectiveness in run-heavy offense and was money near the goal so a no-brainer.

3. Maurice Drew, JAC – Major jump in receptions key for 3rd straight strong season and now he truly carries the load plus Holt will help their shaky team.

4. Matt Forte, CHI – Addition of Cutler should help them move the ball and create more opportunities for the slick and productive runner and receiver.

It’s been a few weeks since I broke out my QB Keeper Overviews here, and it’s already time to update them. But before I do that I’m going to try to bang out the other key positions within the next week and catch completely up.

Next up, it’s the RBs.

At first glance, while there is good depth, I notice a little bit of a void when it comes to true studs at the position. So if you’re in a keeper league that retains only 3-4 players, I advise your approach your keepers much like you should have been approaching a standard redraft league the last two years: don’t take a RB just because he’s a RB and take the best players, period. Keep in mind, of course, the pool of attractive options will increase after the draft.

That said about the lack of quality at the top, I’m personally ranking some young guys who I do think are for real very high, even though they’ve really only “done it” for one year.

Let’s take a look at the top guys.

There aren’t many RBs who are clearly their team’s workhorse, so if you have one on your team, and he’s a young stud, then [...]

About John Hansen

Specializing in football, Hansen is one of the most connected fantasy writers in the country.

If you’re a 24/7/365 football nut, chances are you’ve already digested just about all you can about yesterday’s blockbuster LeSean McCoy/Kiko Alonso trade between the Eagles and Bills. I’ve gone on record on Twitter saying I don’t like the deal for Buffalo – McCoy is an eight-figure back coming off a down year, still a “star” in name but one in which I’d hav […]

We continue to update the position battles around the league, but in this blog, I thought looking at preseason playing time would be interesting. The depth chart doesn’t always tell the whole story and it’s certainly worth noting when players get in the game and who they get to play with, whether it’s with the first-team offense or the backups. If you’re loo […]